Saturday

New Hampstead, the No. 4 seed out of Region 2-5A, went on the road and shocked No. 1 seed Starr's Mill 21-10 in the first round of the GHSA Class 5A playoffs Friday night in Fayetteville.

Dontre Wallace put the game away in the fourth quarter for the Phoenix with a 1-yard touchdown run.

Ryan Smith returned a fumble for a 65-yard TD in one of several big defensive plays for New Hampstead (5-5).

Jurel Armstrong had a big interception return to set up a New Hampstead TD at the end of the first half as Deyandre Ruffin hit Sam Brown to put the Phoenix up 14-7 at intermission.

New Hampstead will be on the road to face the winner of Stockbridge/Veterans in the second round.

"I'm just so proud of these guys," said NHHS interim coach Thomas Tedder, who replaced Michael Moore early in the season. "They have dealt with so much adversity this year, and they never stopped playing hard."

— Dennis Knight

JENKINS 29, APPLING COUNTY 22

Jenkins went on the road and beat Appling County in round one of the GHSA Class-3A state playoffs. The Warriors (8-3) and will host Pike County next week.

Treshawn Brown thew a pair of touchdown passes to Darius Bush, and Jeremy Smith ran for more than 100 yards and a pair of scores for Jenkins.

Jenkins coach Jason Cameron said linebacker Wanya Pringle was all over the field for the Warriors, who also got big defensive efforts from Daylan Dotson and Edward Osborne.

LIBERTY CO. 38, SEB 14

The Panthers rolled to a win on the road over the Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets in the first round of the GHSA Class 3A playoffs.

Running back Kris Coleman had 144 rushing yards and four TDs on 20 carries, while quarterback Dionte Bowens rushed for 101 yards a pair of scores on 12 attempts for Liberty County (8-3).

Bowens was 4 of 11 for 110 yards through the air.

Coleman, a senior, broke the school record for career rushing yards and TDs in the game.

The Panthers will be on the road to face Peach County in the second round.

RICHMOND HILL 19, GREENBRIER 14

EVANS — Jamal Polite, Jalen Rouse and Jamari Green rushed for a combined 191 yards and two scores to lead Richmond Hill to a GHSA Class 6A first-round playoff victory.

The Wildcats threw only one pass in the game and did not complete it while depending on the ground game and timely defense to earn the win.

Timmy Fortson logged nine tackles for the Wildcats and Nathan Vickers had six tackles, one sack and a blocked punt returned for a TD.

The Wildcat defense held the Wolfpack scoreless in the first half while picking up their first touchdown of the night on a Polite run for a touchdown. Late in the second quarter, Polite ran the ball 34 yards into the end zone for his second score.

After the extra point was no good, the score was 12-0 at halftime.

RH;6;7;6;0;—;19

G;0;0;0;14;—;14

SWAINSBORO 23, NORTHEAST MACON 7

SWAINSBORO — Junior tight end R.J. Phillips had three receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Tigers to a victory in their first-round GHSA Class 2A playoff game.

Swainsboro (9-2) will host Fitzgerald (8-3) next Friday in the second round. Fitzgerald beat Harlem 51-14 in its playoff opener.

The Tigers, down 7-0, erupted for 14 second-quarter points. Their first score, a 59-yard connection between quarterback Kade Youmans and Phillips was set up by a fumble recovery.

Swainsboro added another score midway through the quarter on defensive lineman Ka’yun Davis’ fumble recovery and 38-yard run to the end zone.

Youmans and Phillips connected on a 28-yard scoring strike in the third quarter.

Swainsboro was held to 32 yards rushing on 26 carries. The Raiders (4-7) gained 113 yards rushing on 32 carries. The teams combined for only 14 first downs, eight for NE Macon, six for Swainsboro.

NM;7;0;0;0;—;7

S;0;14;6;3;—;23

First Quarter

NM-Kevin Ussery 2 run (Kevin Hernandez kick)

Second Quarter

S-R.J. Phillips 59 pass from Kade Youmans (Cole Bell kick)

S-Ka’yun fumble recovery and 38 run (Bell kick)

Third Quarter

S-Phillips 28 pass from Youmans (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

S-Bell 22 FG

PEE DEE ACADEMY 45, BETHESDA ACADEMY 28

MULLINS, South Carolina — Pee Dee Academy led 24-12 at the half en route to a 17-point victory over the Blazers in the SCISA Class A semifinals.

The Golden Eagles (9-1) will take on Ridgeland’s Thomas Heyward Academy or Lake City’s Carolina Academy in the state championship.